The present invention relates to surgical apparatus for retracting anatomy to provide exposure of the operative site, and more particularly relates to a retraction apparatus that is sturdy, adjustable, and conducive to thorough sterilization.
During surgical procedures, a surgeon will typically make an incision in a patient to access the sites of interest, such as internal organs and bone structures, for a particular procedure. A surgical retractor system is typically utilized to maintain clear access to the site of interest. Retractors are designed to hold back the anatomy in the immediate area of the operative site to enable a surgeon to have both an optimal view of the site and a sufficiently open area within which to work.
The usefulness of any retractor device is necessarily limited by the number of ways that the retractor can be positioned with respect to the retracted anatomy as well as the ease with which the surgeon can adjust the relative position of the retractor both before and during surgery. The less obstructive and more versatile a retractor device is, the more desirable it becomes for use in the above-described manner. Thus, variance in types of surgery and patient size necessitates surgical retractor systems that are adjustable. In addition, equipment sterilization requirements call for a device that can be thoroughly cleansed by conventional means in a safe and easy manner.
A surgical retractor system typically consists of a rail clamp, a frame connected to the rail clamp, and retractor blades that are clamped to the frame. The rail clamp is commonly secured to an operating table and provides a fixed and sturdy support for the frame and the retractor blades. Each of the components in a typical surgical retractor system is conventionally made of stainless steel, although, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,363, parts of the system may be made from a nonconductive material. The reason that stainless steel is generally used is that stainless steel is easily sterilized. As would be expected, before any use of the surgical retractor system can be made during a surgical procedure, the system must be thoroughly sterilized for the protection of the patient. This sterilization is performed in the standard methods well known in the art.
Often, a surgical retractor system frame includes one or more posts, each connected to the operating table by a rail clamp. Typically, some form of support structure for supporting retractor blades is connected to the post(s) by clamps. During surgical procedures, it is preferable that the surgical retractor system frame be adjustable to quickly position the retractor in a precise position. Prior art support structures generally repositioned the height of the surgical retractor by positioning the clamp connecting the surgical retractor to the post into a non-clamping position. With the clamp in a non-clamping position, the vertical position of the surgical retractor can then be repositioned into a new position. The surgical retractor is then secured to the post be placing the clamp in the clamping position. This procedure may add additional time to the surgical procedure, require additional personnel to perform the vertical adjustment and cause unneeded inconvenience to the surgical personnel.